Dog trackers...

[Fast but dim]

Red, my bull x whippet is pretty well trained: Not interested in sheep and has pretty good recall... Until he gets behind a hare.

I live in rural Lancashire and the local estate has all but stopped shooting, which has led to a proliferation of the fast little fuckers.

When he goes after one, there's no stopping him, and he is gone until he loses the trail or catches it, which can be 15 mins of massive stress.

I've decided to try a GPS tracker...

GPS Tracker for Dogs with Activity Monitoring

GPS tracker & activity monitor. Locate your dog on your phone in real-time. Battery life up to 10 days. Unlimited range. 100% waterproof.

tractive.com

I've never used one, and don't know anyone who has. I've done my research, so hopefully it'll serve its purpose.

Watch this space for a review!

 

[ElThomsono]

Laura bought the Tractive XL, she's had it about three months; hasn't yet configured it and attached it to the dog, mind.

 

[Beachlover]

Red, my bull x whippet is pretty well trained: Not interested in sheep and has pretty good recall... Until he gets behind a hare.

I live in rural Lancashire and the local estate has all but stopped shooting, which has led to a proliferation of the fast little fuckers.

When he goes after one, there's no stopping him, and he is gone until he loses the trail or catches it, which can be 15 mins of massive stress.

I've decided to try a GPS tracker...

GPS Tracker for Dogs with Activity Monitoring

GPS tracker & activity monitor. Locate your dog on your phone in real-time. Battery life up to 10 days. Unlimited range. 100% waterproof.

tractive.com

I've never used one, and don't know anyone who has. I've done my research, so hopefully it'll serve its purpose.

Watch this space for a review!

We found one of these on the allotment. The dog concerned had ripped it off as it went through the undergrowth. The dog found its own way home and the owner came to retrieve the tracker. Had another episode where the same happened to a cat and the owner appeared at our house as I’d brought it home the charge it and see if I could find the owner.
I suspect a lot of these need more robust ways of fixing to the collar.

 

[BorderReiver]

Red, my bull x whippet is pretty well trained: Not interested in sheep and has pretty good recall... Until he gets behind a hare.

I live in rural Lancashire and the local estate has all but stopped shooting, which has led to a proliferation of the fast little fuckers.

When he goes after one, there's no stopping him, and he is gone until he loses the trail or catches it, which can be 15 mins of massive stress.

I've decided to try a GPS tracker...

GPS Tracker for Dogs with Activity Monitoring

GPS tracker & activity monitor. Locate your dog on your phone in real-time. Battery life up to 10 days. Unlimited range. 100% waterproof.

tractive.com

I've never used one, and don't know anyone who has. I've done my research, so hopefully it'll serve its purpose.

Watch this space for a review!

My bastard has a very high prey drive and I can't let him off at all. His STOP and RECALL are perfect in a closed field or on a long line but out in the woods, no chance. First munty and he's off, he circles back to check on me occasionally but always far enough away not to get grabbed. I just head off to the starting point and wait. Having a tracker wouldn't do me any good at all because he would come back eventually.
I did let him run wild until a post appeared in the village FB page of a complaint of a loose dog bounding up to a dog on a lead who was a rescue which had been used as bait in fighting dog training. The description of the "bounding dog" could well have been my beast.

I would have thought that any dog subjected to that treatment should have been euthanised or at least kept at home.

 

[Saint-Just]

Problem with the one you chose is the subscription which will prove expensive. There is another one, with a heftier initial outlay but that works out cheaper within a year (pitpat, for example).

I may just suggest that your chances of catching Red when he is after a hare are limited, even if you know where he is. I'm not saying you're slow, you understand, just that he is significantly faster

 

[Fast but dim]

Just been out for a couple hours, and initial impressions are it's good!

I used it in high accuracy mode, and got a good trace overlayed on the base map or satellite imagery. More than good enough.

You also get a direction and distance arrow, or super accurate short range Bluetooth. The unit has an audible signal and a light...I'm guessing that this along with Bluetooth is the way to go if the unit comes off the collar and you want to locate it.

The collar attachment is probably OK, but for a working lurcher who likes to work cover I'll be backing it up with a wrap or two of electrical tape.

The app is straightforward enough to use ( it needs to be😉) and if you're willing to share your log in can be used by multiple people simultaneously.
Don't bother forking out the extra for family membership.

Time will tell, but I'll definitely be happier with him out of sight. How well it works in woodland is the next test!

 

[Fast but dim]

My bastard has a very high prey drive and I can't let him off at all. His STOP and RECALL are perfect in a closed field or on a long line but out in the woods, no chance. First munty and he's off, he circles back to check on me occasionally but always far enough away not to get grabbed. I just head off to the starting point and wait. Having a tracker wouldn't do me any good at all because he would come back eventually.
I did let him run wild until a post appeared in the village FB page of a complaint of a loose dog bounding up to a dog on a lead who was a rescue which had been used as bait in fighting dog training. The description of the "bounding dog" could well have been my beast.

I would have thought that any dog subjected to that treatment should have been euthanised or at least kept at home.

What you got?

I'd love a run at a muntjac! None round here.

 

[Saint-Just]

Just been out for a couple hours, and initial impressions are it's good!

I used it in high accuracy mode, and got a good trace overlayed on the base map or satellite imagery. More than good enough.

You also get a direction and distance arrow, or super accurate short range Bluetooth. The unit has an audible signal and a light...I'm guessing that this along with Bluetooth is the way to go if the unit comes off the collar and you want to locate it.

The collar attachment is probably OK, but for a working lurcher who likes to work cover I'll be backing it up with a wrap or two of electrical tape.

The app is straightforward enough to use ( it needs to be😉) and if you're willing to share your log in can be used by multiple people simultaneously.
Don't bother forking out the extra for family membership.

Time will tell, but I'll definitely be happier with him out of sight. How well it works in woodland is the next test!

Well I tried the home made stuff (Apple Air Tag) and it works well... except when there is no phone signal or iPhone carrier, like the Lakes or a decent size isolated woodland

 

[Greg]

Well I tried the home made stuff (Apple Air Tag) and it works well... except when there is no phone signal or iPhone carrier, like the Lakes or a decent size isolated woodland

Doesn't an AirTag rely on iPhones to update location? Fine for luggage in a busy airport, not ideal in the middle of no where?

 

[Saint-Just]

Doesn't an AirTag rely on iPhones to update location? Fine for luggage in a busy airport, not ideal in the middle of no where?

Exactly.

 

[BorderReiver]

What you got?

I'd love a run at a muntjac! None round here.

He's a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla and there are more munts than rabbits in our location. They do a lot of damage in folks' gardens.

 

[Greg]

Exactly.

I think people also have problems with the air tag thinking it is being used for stalking a person if it is being walked by someone with the 'wrong' iPhone.

My friends parents had a GPS tag on one of their greyhound type efforts who had a strong prey drive. They could at least know where to drive to collect him.

 

[Andylaser]

We had these when I worked for Garmin. Unfortunately, there was a battery issue which resulted in some dogs getting the shock collar treatment.
We recalled them and replaced the batteries. Properly shite job that was, getting damp dog smelling collars in to repair.

 

[Fast but dim]

Quick update.

I'm so impressed with the tracker. Amazingly accurate, excellent battery life (days!) and simple to use app.

Anyone with the app and log in can view his whereabouts, speed of travel, and you have the option of satellite imagery or open source Base mapping.

Backed up with a zip tie the unit is very robust, and I would. Have no worries of Losing it under normal circumstances.

Imo almost a must have at the price for the "working" dog owner.